


A Friendship Built in Legos

by rainbowshirbert



Series: Living Myths (PJO Oneshots) [3]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Pre-The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus), annabeth and leo would be best friends fight me, percabeth mentioned, set like a few days after the lost hero ends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26343514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowshirbert/pseuds/rainbowshirbert
Summary: Annabeth is feeling isolated on a ship with Leo, Piper, and Jason, but then realizes Leo isn't just comic relief.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Leo Valdez
Series: Living Myths (PJO Oneshots) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094222
Comments: 8
Kudos: 64





	A Friendship Built in Legos

**Author's Note:**

> Rated T only for light cursing
> 
> This was technically written for a project on Twitter for a HOO rewrite, and one thing I want (second only to more Grover) is an Annabeth and Leo friendship. They're both so smart and I feel like they'd balance each other out well. I decided to post it because I kinda like it tbh.
> 
> I think this scenario of Annabeth walking in on Leo building something was proposed by someone else after talking about Leo and Annabeth, so if they wanna tell me who they are I'll totally give them credit! I found it really fun and perfect for them

It was weird, being on a quest without Percy and Grover.

Quests themselves were becoming a part of Annabeth’s summer, but she was so used to the bickering and stomping away, their lame jokes and the way they all communicated without even needing to say a word, being around a bunch of strangers felt like she was 12 and confused all over again.

She knew they were getting Percy, and maybe then things would go back to normal, but she spent time in her room because she hated that Leo and Piper would always be laughing together and she’d be forced to have a fake smile and understand some inside joke. Or Piper and Jason would be holding hands under the table and she’d remember how Percy’s hand was sometimes the only thing tying her to earth and she’d just need to leave so they didn’t see her almost breaking.  
Maybe this was how Thalia felt when she first woke. But she’d had months to get to know Percy before they went to find Nico and Bianca. Annabeth had known Leo, Piper and Jason for a few days. It was hardly enough time to study them, and she didn’t feel the same pull she had with Percy. Even after a week of knowing Percy Annabeth somehow knew what he’d do when a monster attacked or how she needed to explain a plan so his brain could comprehend it. 

But she couldn’t figure any of that out with these three. Her brain just kept saying they’re not Percy, they’re not Grover or Thalia or Tyson or Nico or Malcolm or...

Annabeth tried to remind herself of the positives. Piper was effortlessly cool and she actually had fun hanging out with her, Jason was a powerful demigod on their team, and Leo had built the entire Argo II. 

She needed to get over herself. She was lucky to have three strong demigods on her side, even if they weren’t her friends.

Her room was beginning to feel tight, so she rolled off her bed and sighed as she opened the door and walked through the hall toward the kitchen. She heard Piper talking in her room but passed, grabbing an apple and walking toward the dining room, before stopping at a loud clatter.

Annabeth pulled her dagger from her pocket slowly. It hadn’t been the first time a monster had decided to visit their ship. She slowly walked with her back to the wall, creeping toward the threshold to the dining room, eyes darting for the threat.

Instead of a Chimera or Empousa, a Lego fortress was covering the table.

Fortress really was the best word for it. There were multiple towers, massive iron gates, a fake moat, and long walls running along the sides of the table. And toward the back, Leo was making loud crashing sounds with his mouth as he swerved a dragon figurine above the Legos.

Annabeth lowered the dagger, watching as Leo turned around and flushed, the dragon still hovering in the air with his hand.

“Oh, hey!” he said. “I was just, you know, um, Jason and Piper are doing gods know what in her room and I remembered that I kind of took these from arts and crafts before we left.”

He stopped talking as Annabeth stepped forward, poking the structure. The bricks were practically molded together, not yielding to her pressure. “Where are the instructions?”

“Um, there aren’t any. I took as many as I could find and ran, so I didn’t look for specific sets or anything.”

Leo had put the dragon down, but was now snapping his fingers together so quickly sparks began to fly from them. His eyes went wide and he put his hands behind his back, not looking at Annabeth.

“This is...impressive,” Annabeth said, the words only somewhat forced. She met Leo’s eyes and said more sincerely, “Most kids wouldn’t be able to make something like this in a few hours, even with instructions.”

“Uh, yeah, thanks. I guess I didn’t even realize how long it was taken.”

“That happens to me, too. It's the ADHD. I once-” she laughed, “-I once didn’t come out of my cabin for a whole day, so Percy went to find me because he thought I died. I’d just spent so much time revising my plans for Olympus and going through my laptop I didn’t ever think to get up.” She smiled, then met Leo’s eyes in surprise. Saying Percy’s name didn’t give her the same pinch of pain in her heart she was used to. It was like telling a story about Thalia. She wasn’t there now, but she knew they’d see each other soon. Their fates were intertwined that way.

“Right, you like building stuff.” Leo hadn’t seemed to notice Annabeth being lost in thought and was back to tinkering with the sides of one of the towers of Legos. 

“I designed the new Olympus.”

“Holy shit.” Leo whistled. “How’d that happen?”

“Me and my friends saved the world and the gods owed us a favor.”

“If they owed me a favor, I’d ask for them to leave me the fuck alone.”

Annabeth laughed. “I don’t think even they can control the Fates.”

“Fine, then I’d ask for a million dollars. Rebuilding something for the gods that got you into a war doesn’t sound fun.”

“I like it.” She tapped her fingers along one of the few free spaces on the table. “I guess the gods suck sometimes-most of the time, actually-but some part of me just wants them to accept me. And to be proud of me.” 

Leo was staring at her, and she suddenly realized she was pouring out some of her deepest feelings to someone she barely knew. All Leo had done so far was build their ship and crack a couple of really bad jokes.

But he just said, “No, I get that,” and Annabeth realized that he was the first person she’d been able to talk about architecture with without them looking for a way to run from the room as fast as possible. 

Maybe she wasn’t without friends on this ship after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter: @rainbowsinmay  
> Tumblr: @mydramaticflare


End file.
